Saps debunks KuGompo escape claims as copper bust nets three suspects
Police said the claims were made in a voice note widely circulated on social media and other platforms
The South African Police Service (Saps) in the Eastern Cape has refuted claims that five suspects escaped from custody, stating that only three men were arrested and copper valued at approximately R60 000 was seized after suspects fled from a stranded vehicle. Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana clarified that on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, at around 06:40am, police noticed a white Mazda vehicle with a puncture on the roadside along the N2.
Upon approaching the vehicle, five occupants fled on foot in different directions. Two suspects were apprehended and are currently in police custody. A total of three suspects have been detained, aged between 24 and 37, and are expected to appear in the KuGompo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, on charges of possession of suspected stolen property. The police are continuing with investigations and tracing the remaining two suspects.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Citizen's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
